Drug Enforcement Administration

More Than A Ton Of Marijuana Found In Shipment Of Frozen Avocado

COOK COUNTY, Ill. - ― A report of a suspicious delivery at a cold storage facility led to the recovery of approximately 2,100 pounds of marijuana hidden in frozen avocado pulp, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.

On Wednesday, March 4, members of the Sheriff’s Street Crime Suppression Unit were notified by workers at the facility, located in the 8400 block of West 47th Street in Lyons, of what appeared to be a suspicious shipment that had arrived there. The shipment had instructions for an urgent pick-up.

A narcotics K9 called to the scene detected drugs inside the pallets. The Street Crime Suppression Unit notified the Drug Enforcement (DEA). The McCook Police Department also was called to assist.

Investigators searched 1,512 boxes and each box contained several packages of frozen avocado pulp. Flat bricks of marijuana were found, covered in avocado pulp in some packages, while other packages did not contain any drugs.

The recovered drugs have an estimated street value of $10 million.

This is an ongoing DEA and Cook County Sheriff’s Police investigation.